Notes:
Originally designed as a technology demonstrator, the Steyr AUG (Armee Universal
Gewehr, or Army Universal Rifle), became wildly successful, and versions of the
weapon ranging from submachineguns to civilian rifles were produced.It was first produced in 1978, and it became one of the few bullpup
military rifles used in number by world armies.The AUG is used by Austria (where it is the standard assault rifle, and
is known as STG-77), Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Oman, Malaysia, and Saudi
Arabia; in addition, British soldiers stationed in the Falklands also use the
AUG.The Australians and the
Malaysians license-produce the AUG.
(The Australian version of the AUG is different enough from a standard AUG that
is has its own entry under Australian Assault Rifles.)

The body and
magazines of the AUG are made of high-impact plastic, while the internal
workings and the barrel are made of high-quality steel (except for the hammer
and certain other parts of the hammer unit, which are unusually made of
very-high strength plastic).At the
very front of the receiver is a fold-down plastic foregrip which can be used as
a handguard when folded.The result
is a weapon that is light, handy, yet accurate.The weapon includes a 1.5x battle sight that further improves accuracy;
it is on an elevated mount and forms a part of a carrying handle. The AUG’s
trigger is two-stage: pull it back a certain distance, and you get
semi-automatic fire, and pull it back all the way for full automatic fire.This can sometimes lead to “accidental automatic fire.”The gas block is also adjustable, for standard fire, a fouled chamber or
barrel, and a cutoff for the firing of certain rifle grenades.The gas block adjustor is also used to replace the barrel with barrels of
other lengths or otherwise remove the barrel.Barrels can be removed and replaced in seconds (less than one combat
phase). There are cutouts on either side for the ejection port and charging
handle, and the fire and magazine controls may be switched from one side to the
other, making the AUG ambidextrous (unusual for a bullpup weapon, though some
soldiers say that the AUG is equally uncomfortable to use with either hand due
to its poor ergonomics).

Several
interchangeable barrels can be fitted to the AUG, allowing the AUG to perform
the roles of submachinegun, carbine, heavy-barreled automatic rifle, or a
sharpshooter’s rifle.In addition,
a barrel exists that allows the AUG to function as a squad automatic rifle, and
a parts kit that allows the AUG to be converted to a submachinegun firing 9mm
Parabellum ammunition (see Austrian Submachineguns).The standard AUG uses a 20-inch barrel; the AUG Carbine has a 16-inch
barrel; the AUG SMG (also called the AUG-P) uses a 13.77-inch barrel; and the
HBAR has a 24-inch barrel.In
addition, the HBAR (sometimes referred to as the AUG LMG or AUG SAW) is equipped
with a bipod.The AUG SMG (also
called the AUG-P) is often found with special receiver that better suits the
extra parts needed to allow the AUG to properly function with the very short
barrel; however, this redesigned receiver is not required to allow the AUG SMG
to function properly.

The HBAR-T, an
AUG modified for use as a sharpshooter’s rifle, is similar in appearance to the
HBAR from which it is derived.The
barrel, however, is cold hammer-forged, heavier and of better quality than that
of the HBAR, and uses a flash suppressor that is somewhat more effective at
mitigating muzzle flash.(Barrel
length is still 24 inches.)The
carrying handle/battle sight has been removed, and in its place is a mount for
optics (though it is not a MIL-STD-1913 or Weaver mount, and is rather limited
in what sort of optics it can mount).(In the Austrian Army, the standard scope used with the HBAR-T is the
same Kahles ZF69 6x scope used on the SSG-2000.)

In 1997, the
standard AUG A1 was replaced in production (except in Malaysia) by the AUG A2.The AUG A2’s magazine well is modified so that it can use NATO/US
magazines as well as magazines designed for the AUG and magazines like Beta’s
C-Mag.The scope/carrying handle
was replaced by a MIL-STD-1913 rail, allowing the rifle to use virtually any
sort of optics.However, when the
A2 arrived, the 13.77-inch SMG barrel was deleted from the options available to
the AUG.

Civilian/police
semiautomatic-only versions of the AUG A1 and AUG A2 assault rifles and carbines
are available on the civilian market in many countries; these generally have no
bayonet lug, and often have their barrels permanently attached instead of being
interchangeable with shorter or longer AUG barrels.In some cases, civilian versions of the AUG do not have flash
suppressors, if that is necessary to comply with local laws.

Twilight 2000
Story:Similar to the Notes above;
however, after the November nuclear exchange, production of the AUG virtually
stopped in Austria and Malaysia.
For at least 20 years after the Twilight War, the only country who produced the
AUG was the Australians.The “A2”
version is also a rarity in the Twilight 2000 world, except as produced by the
Australians.

Merc 2000 Story:
Similar to the Notes above; the AUG is a big hit with mercenary groups
worldwide, especially the “A2” version.